Surfactants such as alkylsulfates, polyoxyethylene alkylsulfates and alkylbenzenesulfonates have heretofore been used as detergents. However, many of these surfactants involve a problem that they irritate the skin to a somewhat strong extent upon their use. For this reason, surfactants low in skin irritation, such as alkylphosphates and salts of acylated amino acids, have come to be used as bases for hair and skin cosmetic compositions, emulsifying agents or detergents for the skin and the like. With the diversification of demand and inclination to high-quality goods of consumers, there have recently been demand for development of compounds which have good foamability and such effects that a pleasant feeling can be given to the user's skin and the like, in addition to low irritativeness to the skin and the like. However, no compound fully satisfying these requirements has been yet developed.
Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to provide a compound which can solve the above problems, is low in irritativeness to the skin and the like and excellent in foamability, can give a pleasant feeling to the user's skin and the like, and is useful as a base for hair and skin cosmetic compositions, a detergent, an emulsifying agent, a conditioning agent, or the like.